Liquid monopropellant gas generator

US5648052A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Lockheed Martin Corporation · US

Inventors

• Keith James Schaefer · Nassau, US
• John Mandzy · Pittsfield, US
• Andrew Anthony Carlson · North Tonawanda, US
• Crestus Lee Adams · Gaithersburg, US
• Steven Joseph Brown · Pittsfield, US
• John Johnson · Lee, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 30, 1995
• Grant date: Jul 15, 1997
• Expiry date: May 30, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C06B47/00
• WIPO field: Basic materials chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A continuous flow-rate gas generator fueled by liquid mono-propellant includes a propellant storage tank, a motor-driven pump (or other pressurization technique) to force the propellant into a combustion chamber having an enclosed volume, an injector to effectively break up the incoming liquid propellant into droplets that facilitate ignition and sustain combustion, an igniter to initiate the combustion process, a nozzle to expand the exhaust gases in order to optimize the pressure and temperature of the working fluid, and exhaust ducting to direct the flow and handle the further heat transfer requirements. If desired, the output may be varied through two mechanisms: either by including an exit gas valve used to vary the exit gas flow to match delivery needs; or by having a plurality of continuous gas generators connected in parallel to a manifold assembly and relying on the combination of mixed flow-rates to match a required gas output.